Pacosha .....end of an Era !

Pacosha.....her last day out and photo ....

It has been a sad start to the New Year for us here at Zanzibah Land.
On the 28th December, I turned the alpacas out as normal, however what I didn't realise at the time, it would be Pacosha's last day out with the herd !
I noticed she was becoming very fragile and I decided to pen her inside the field shelter, whilst the others were out grazing......that morning she did not want to go out and hung back in the barn....but she decided to follow the girls out, it was a cold windy day and I suspected she was becoming frail. She spent the day in the field shelter quite happy with some haylage.

I had a sad feeling and didn't want to accept what was inevitable. From then on she spent a couple of days inside the barn, eating and being quite comfortable, on New Years Day....I spent some extra time in the barn with all the alpacas....I was sitting down just watching them to make sure all was well.....at 5pm that evening, Pacosha was sitting chewing her cud, I was quite surprised just how content she was. I left her to go in for tea.

I usually do the night time rounds about 9pm, when I went back to the barn things had changed, it was obvious that she was not going to make it through the night, she was drifting away, sadly she slept away peacefully, I was with her all the time....it doesn't matter just how old she was....it was still a very sad time.

Pacosha was one of my original girls, imported into the Uk in the 90's....she came all the way from Chile....on a Jumbo Jet. I bought two females in 2006 to start my herd, she was sold to me as a breeding female, however I was never to have any off spring from her, I found out over the years, that she was unable to breed.........I think this was the reasoning behind her sale...........however, I believe what goes round, comes round......and it takes all sorts in this world !!

I can only count on three fingers, pleasant purchase transactions.....and I know, those people know who they are !!!

Thankfully.......Pacosha was here to stay regardless....and I loved her all the same.

I am going to plant a tree....in her memory.

I believe her spirit is now roaming on the Ante Plano......where she can graze happily with the others....... she will be missed greatly, but I can take some comfort in the fact that.......whilst she was with us.....I loved and cared for her as best as I could......and she passed away very peacefully........sleep well Pacosha ! xx